Kennedy Center Goes Current With Hip-Hop Festival

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Kennedy Center Hip Hop Theater Festival 2013

In a pretty cool effort to keep up with times and stay “with it,” Washington, D.C.’s premier performing arts venue, the Kennedy Center, will host a hip-hop music festival at the end of the month. Although full details have yet to be released, so far Nas has agreed to headline… alongside several musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra. This sounds fabulous (as does the idea of Fabolous rapping overtop a chamber choir, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

Nas is slated to perform the entirety of his debut album, Ilmmatic, while the rest of the festival – dubbed “One Mic: Hip Hop Culture Worldwide” – will feature “MCing, DJing, B-Boying, and graffiti writing, [or] the original four elements of hip-hop culture,” according to the Kennedy Center website. Although better known for its more staid opera, orchestral and international offerings, the capital’s most prestigious concert hall is, first and foremost, interested in the promulgation of culture in general.

“Hip hop is clearly something new and different for us,” Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser admits, although, “I think to do something very current is important. We’re trying to speak to many different audiences.”

Here’s hoping they get a strong response. Tickets have yet to go on sale, but we do have a few links to other spring Kennedy Center shows below. Be sure to check back here once seats begin to sell, and even more names are added to the lineup!

Kennedy Center Hip Hop Theater Festival Dates

March 28 – April 8

Kennedy Center Hip Hop Theater Festival Tickets

Kennedy Center Hip Hop Theater Festival Lineup

So far, only Nas, accompanied by members of the National Symphony Orchestra, has been confirmed, but look for more announcements in the weeks ahead.